Child Care Rebate quarterly payments for families on their way

Quarterly Child Care Rebate payments will start to hit the bank accounts of nearly 285,000 eligible parents from Wednesday.

Minister for Human Services Senator the Hon Marise Payne said payments covering September to December 2013 will be made automatically to eligible families over the next fortnight.

“Families who have chosen to receive their Child Care Rebate payments quarterly don’t need to do anything to receive this payment,” Minister Payne said.

“If families have not received it by 31 January 2014 they can use Centrelink Online Services to check whether their payment has been issued.

“They can even use the Express Plus Families app to view their Child Care payments - without visiting an office or waiting to speak to someone on the phone.

“The app also means busy families can take care of a range of other Centrelink business at a time and place convenient to them – from updating contact details to viewing payment history.”

Minister Payne said it is important to support working families as well as those studying and training, by assisting with the cost of child care. 

"The Child Care Rebate covers 50 per cent of out-of-pocket child care expenses up to a maximum of $7500 per child per year to help families out with the cost of child care," Minister Payne said.

"Many families work to a tight budget so there is also an option of receiving their Child Care Rebate fortnightly or weekly.

“We want to ensure those people working to improve the quality of their families’ lives have the assistance they need to meet their goals."

To find out more about Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate visit humanservices.gov.au/families